Reducing heart and metabolic disease in the Deep South
Deep South Center to Reduce Disparities in Chronic Diseases
A regional center is working with communities in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana to deliver more targeted prevention and care for people with or at risk for obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Alabama at Birmingham NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Birmingham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11145048 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This center brings together hospitals, universities, and community groups across Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana to design and deliver tailored programs for people affected by cardiometabolic conditions. Teams will use precision public health methods that consider local context, beliefs, and individual needs to guide prevention, treatment, and care coordination in clinics and neighborhoods. The work includes multi-level interventions such as community outreach, clinic-based programs, and efforts to improve continuity of care, while tracking outcomes to learn what works best for different groups. The center also builds partnerships and research capacity so successful approaches can be spread across the region.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults living in Alabama, Mississippi, or Louisiana who have or are at high risk for obesity, diabetes, or hypertension—especially people from communities that face disproportionate burdens—are the main candidates for participation.
Not a fit: People who live outside the Deep South region or who do not have cardiometabolic risk factors are unlikely to directly benefit from this center's regional programs.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the center could lead to more personalized prevention and care that lowers rates of obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure and narrows regional health gaps.
How similar studies have performed: Community-based and precision public health approaches have shown promise in improving prevention and care in some settings, but this center is a larger regional effort to apply and scale those methods.
Where this research is happening
Birmingham, United States
- University of Alabama at Birmingham — Birmingham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cherrington, Andrea L — University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Study coordinator: Cherrington, Andrea L
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.